Celebrating dining establishments reaching back to the beginning of America, the National Trust or Historic Preservation is offering a grant program designed to help maintain some of the oldest restaurants in the country.
In a press release, the NTHP announced: “We are asking for your help to find cozy cafes, delicious dives, and other beloved restaurant that contribute to their neighborhood’s unique history and identity.”
Recipients of the group’s Backing Historic Small Restaurants Grant Program will be eligible for funding to maintain their business while also taking on any number of facility upgrade work.
To date, the program has awarded around $2 million to restaurants across the country. Last year’s recipients included Antoine’s Restaurant of New Orleans, which dates to 1840; and the B & H Dairy Kosher Restaurant of New York, which first opened its doors in 1938.
Recipients in 2022 in the West: The Golden Burro Café of Leadville, Colorado, also opened in 1938; Nancy’s Silver Café in Silver City, New Mexico, which has been in business since 1969; and the Welton Street Café, which is more than 40 years old.
The NTHP initiative, with individual grants of $40,000 each, is done in a partnership with American Express. To qualify, restaurants must be independently owned and located in either a historic neighborhood or building.
According to the guidelines for the program, applicants must also represent a “an inclusive story about cuisine and community in America, such as historic or ethnic food ways or culinary heritage.”
By Garry Boulard